'Mental strength is about not being afraid to make mistakes'

Over the past six years Sri Lanka have been the most consistent team in major world tournaments, reaching the World Cup and World Twenty20 finals twice each. But despite their form during the tournaments, they have lost all those finals comfortably. Kumar Sangakkara, who played in all four matches and was captain in two, talks about the pressure and emotion of playing a major final and suggests a solution for Sri Lanka.

What was the mood like in the dressing room before all the finals, and especially the last one?
The mood has always been very good. We've always been motivated for finals. We haven't made a big deal about talking about the finals, but I've gone in with the approach to the final that we have with the rest of the tournament, so the mood in the camp has always been the same. But in a way you do feel tense, more nervous - you have butterflies in your stomach a bit more that day.

Was there a sense of fear?
No, it's not a sense of fear. We've never had a fear of playing a final. That's what we train for. The one thing we haven't done is express our fears, or whatever our feelings are, fully before a final - especially the day before and the two or three days leading up to the final.

What do you put that down to - not talking about those feelings?
I think there are lots of aspects to it. We're not a very expressive people when it comes to our fears. We express a lot of joy. We express various other emotions, but talking about insecurities, fears or personal issues out in the open is not something that we're very used to. It's not something we intentionally do, especially in an environment like sport, where you're supposed to be tough.

It's also not something that we like to talk about because I think sometimes we have that fear that if you talk about it, you might jinx it, or if you talk about it being a final you might change your attitude or the way you think. You've done so well to reach the final, so why do anything differently?

But you know it's a final…
At the back of your head you know it's a final. You know what winning it means. You know what it means for yourself and the team and the people supporting you. Having lost World Cup finals, you know what it is like.

I think one of the most important things that we've got to do is work on better, clearer communication, especially before big games - about exactly how we feel, because how we feel has an impact on what we do on the field and how we approach a game. Before any game or any tournament starts I think we should make it a habit of talking about what it feels for you to play a final, and what it means to the country. What are the fears you have, how happy you feel, what expectations you have. All these emotions that are in turmoil within you, I think that it's good to express them. And talk about the crowd's impressions, the way people have spoken about the team and about the opposition.

I think you need someone to work with the team so they can teach us to channel those emotions and talk about them in a positive way to better performance on the field.

What is the preparation like mentally at the moment?
I think mentally it's always been about practice, and then getting on with the job.

"We're not a very expressive people when it comes to our fears. We express a lot of joy. We express various other emotions, but talking about insecurities, fears or personal issues out in the open is not something that we're very used to"

Playing cricket is a risk and without balanced risk we can't score runs, take wickets or win games. You've got to get a lot of things in place, but if you are not prepared to accept mistakes or criticisms, you don't have a part in the team.

I think mental strength is about being unafraid to make mistakes, unafraid to take that little risk. It's being unafraid to accept the situation for what it is, it's being unafraid to talk about the future, to talk about fear, failure and success. But you need a good professional to guide you to doing that.

Have you talked about that with management?
It's an ongoing discussion. One of the key issues is finding people who are able to communicate fully with the team and who the team can communicate fully with. So it's important to have someone who can speak Sinhalese and Tamil fully. All the boys converse in English and they can get their point across, but when they talk about emotions they have to be comfortable with the language they speak. It is something that we've spoken to management about and they are looking at. Hopefully by the next series.

What's difficult for fans to understand is that the team seems in complete control throughout a campaign - including high-pressure games like semi-finals. But there seems to be a meltdown in finals.
Yeah, I guess it could be the fact that you're so afraid of losing the final that it can actually contribute to you doing badly.

You know, a lot of people in Sri Lanka might say, "Oh the boys should be tough, it's supposed to be like this." We are tough without a doubt, but there are certain ways and certain things we have to do mentally to fully prepare for a big occasion. It could be one reason we look at as to why we haven't won a final.

Before last year's World Twenty20 final, did you feel like the mental baggage from three previous finals played a part?
No, I don't think we spoke about our previous finals. When I was playing I wasn't thinking about the final before. Actually, to be honest with you, I did think it was an opportunity. "We've had three, so maybe this was a great opportunity for us, so let's grab it." You can't be too eager at times so you need to balance that out. We really need to talk about it being a final. The more you try to ignore it, the more you think about it. We need to find a way to deal with it.

When youngsters come into the team, for example, do you and Mahela Jayawardene tell them to think of it as just another game, a club game?
I think the process for them is the same as a club game. If you're good enough to get here, let's spend your first tour really being comfortable with what you're doing, knowing that you've done the hard yards. Don't be too eager but also don't be too scared. You've got to strike that balance mentally, just thinking about what you've got to do.

It's not about getting a hundred. It's about the first 10, 20, 30, and getting those building blocks right. A lot of mistakes young guys make coming into the team are because they're too eager to get a hundred in a game. You need to really understand the game, and how the opposition plays, and what it is you have to do to get to that hundred, and it takes some people six months, a year to do it.

But I think the longer you're in the game, the harder your job becomes, because you're so well known, your game is so well known with your opposition that scoring runs becomes a whole lot harder.

Going back to the finals, have you talked about and debriefed the last final or the previous finals?
We've talked about it among ourselves but never as an exercise of shedding the baggage and moving on. Again, there are professionals who can lead you down that path effectively. It's not something that you learn how to do naturally. You need to do this with big kinds of failures in a way that will help you grow. We need to have a post-final environment where whether you win or lose, there needs to be a debrief at the end of the game.

What does that disappointment feel like?
You feel inadequate, you feel ashamed, you feel like you've let so many people down - not just yourself but your family. And you always think about the people who've watched you play. You feel disappointed, you don't feel any motivation for a while. There are so many feelings that are within you and it's really hard to express all of it. You have a period of introspection where you think, "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with us? Why can't we convert?" We try to find answers and then at one point you reach a stage where [even] if you don't find an answer, you are able to go on in a manner that helps you to perform afterwards. But you know the baggage remains and next time you approach a final, that baggage can make a difference between winning or losing. They are problems we need to address very, very strongly.

Has there been a change in the way you felt in the weeks after the final and the way you think about it now?
No, it feels the same. When you revisit the finals, the feelings always come rushing back and you feel exactly how you felt after the final. You remember and think, "What if? What if you'd done that?" So you keep it, something you'll never forget. It doesn't matter even 20 years after - those emotions will still run through you exactly in that fresh manner that you experienced.

Do you think it may have been better if you had exited earlier in the tournament?
Hope is a very dangerous thing, but it's a very important thing. When you're playing in a final it's not really hope, it's almost a delivered certainty at times, where you think, "This is our game and we are going to win it." When you've done all of that and you lose, it's a much worse feeling than going out earlier in the tournament. When we went out in the first T20 World Cup that we played, we went out in the second round and disappointment was huge but still not as huge as losing a final. There's no comparison between the stages of the tournament. There's a huge difference between the semi-final and the final. It's a very tough place to be, not just for players but even for spectators. The fact that you've come this far. You've won every game so far, so why couldn't you win the most important game?

Mentally, will big tournaments be tougher to approach now?
No, I think the approach is the same. It's a slow build-up. You build momentum throughout the tournament. We just have to wait and see if we will get to a final and see how we feel then.

A mindset of a champion matters!! Captains have not been given enough signals that they are confident. At times you need to be tough and express you are tough. In T20 semi-finals at the presentation ceremony Chris Gayle said "Its West Indies all the way, sorry Sri Lanka". Sri Lanka needs this kind of a mindset. Think about what was Mahela saying before finals.. "Its a great feeling to be in 4 finals"... you are not giving a strong message to anyone that you really want it and you will do it!! Same with Lee Chong Way [no 1 badminton player for sometime]; during Olympics, when he won the semi finals he mentioned "I'm relieved that I have secured the silver medal"; what kind of a mindset is that? There is no "Champion mindset there", and deservedly he was Silver medalist both Beijing and London. This is why I respect 1996 Sri Lanka Team and Leadership. They were Champions from the moment the tournament Started!!! No disrespect to legendary players like Sanga and Mahela though..

SLMaster
on February 26, 2013, 20:01 GMT

Mathews falls into the same category as well unless he change it. To select a captain one should ask the candidate can you do the same Arjuna did when Murali in trouble. All these comments are valid and good point..i wouldn't call Mathews a joker though. It is not a issue with cricket. To me Tisara perera looks like a real leader.

9ST9
on February 26, 2013, 7:48 GMT

@ PadMarley - valid point. What i can tell you is that Sri Lankan's rarely make a statement like that - it's part cultural - not being able to walk the talk is a bigger let down in SL than elsewhere. Then again Sri Lankan's are not the most expressive of some emotions watch a Sri Lankan movie, and you'll realize only a few accepted emotions are expressed freely. Another issue is mentality most people are brought up in a non tough environment. thus a majority of Sri Lankans are brought up without the much required toughness. We have heard of what Alan Border said to Dean Jones - the legendary "'You weak Victorian.." talk comment spurred Jones to score 210, but I don't think you'll ever hear such a thing in a SL dressing room.

KingOwl
on February 25, 2013, 16:55 GMT

I think this issue of mental toughness is going to be critical for SL in the years to come. It is partly cultural as well. SL needs to pick the right kind of captain to instill that confidence. Both Mahela and Sanga come from middle class families where kids tend to be brought up in very protective environments. They are not brought up to be street smart. That is needed to be successful in sports. With Arjuna, while he was also from a middle class family, his family was a political family, used to the rough and tumble of cut throat politics in SL. Thus, he was a tough cookie from his school boy days. SL cricket needs such people leading. The current policy of going for middle class, Colombo educated, English speaking and sophisticated captains will not work, if the aim is finding ruthless, bloody minded captains who want to win at all costs. Mahela and Sanga used to always TALK about the need to be ruthless. Truly ruthless people don' talk about it, they just ARE.

on February 25, 2013, 15:31 GMT

It really hurts when your team does well throughout the tournament only to be defeated in the final. But Sanga/Mahela are not alone not SL is the only team to suffer such defeats. There is another man whom I really feel for. He is England's Graham Gooch. He played 3 world cups and every time England reached the final only to be the 2nd best team of the tournament.

allapey
on February 25, 2013, 3:05 GMT

Sanga,

You are a great truthfull and sincere soul. I wish you were the President of Sri Lanka and Mahela your deputy. It will be heaven !

KingOwl
on February 24, 2013, 13:48 GMT

It's a very frank view expressed by Sanga. All this is true. But in the end, no coach or psychologist can really transform the feelings players have. They need to do it themselves. Some are inherently better at doing that than others. It comes from many things, but supreme confidence, thinking that you are superior to others is absolutely fundamental. Sanga and Mahela were good captains. But they were not great. They had many skills to manage people and make good decisions. But they did not have the sense of superiority that Arjuna had. Arjuna had that innate leadership skill. He was a born leader of men. With him leading the team, the rest always felt that Arjuna will carry them across the line no matter what. One does not feel that with Mahela nor Sanga. They simply aren't cool headed enough. Why Arjuna was called Captain Cool, among other things, WAS for a reason.

Tweety20
on February 23, 2013, 15:48 GMT

As an SL fan,it really hurts when we lose a final.I can imagine how the team feels if i feel this bad.I think Sanga is right,they also need mental preparation before a final to clear any remainig emotions and play with a clean mindset.

They want to win the game so badly for their nation that they end up making mistakes and losing in the end.Im so glad that our SL fans are not vindictive when our team loses finals and accept them for what they did so far and share in their joys and sadness.

Im sure with much effort the SL team can get over this and pull out a major tournament win.My full Support for our lions all the way.We love u.

on February 23, 2013, 13:25 GMT

dariuscorny-1000% AGREE! Matthews is overrated,just a matter of time before he breaks down completely.we need a player who can take this huge responsibility,not some overrated joker..

Surajdon9
on February 23, 2013, 10:40 GMT

well said Champs..Love you sanga.............

PadMarley
on February 23, 2013, 3:22 GMT

A mindset of a champion matters!! Captains have not been given enough signals that they are confident. At times you need to be tough and express you are tough. In T20 semi-finals at the presentation ceremony Chris Gayle said "Its West Indies all the way, sorry Sri Lanka". Sri Lanka needs this kind of a mindset. Think about what was Mahela saying before finals.. "Its a great feeling to be in 4 finals"... you are not giving a strong message to anyone that you really want it and you will do it!! Same with Lee Chong Way [no 1 badminton player for sometime]; during Olympics, when he won the semi finals he mentioned "I'm relieved that I have secured the silver medal"; what kind of a mindset is that? There is no "Champion mindset there", and deservedly he was Silver medalist both Beijing and London. This is why I respect 1996 Sri Lanka Team and Leadership. They were Champions from the moment the tournament Started!!! No disrespect to legendary players like Sanga and Mahela though..

SLMaster
on February 26, 2013, 20:01 GMT

Mathews falls into the same category as well unless he change it. To select a captain one should ask the candidate can you do the same Arjuna did when Murali in trouble. All these comments are valid and good point..i wouldn't call Mathews a joker though. It is not a issue with cricket. To me Tisara perera looks like a real leader.

9ST9
on February 26, 2013, 7:48 GMT

@ PadMarley - valid point. What i can tell you is that Sri Lankan's rarely make a statement like that - it's part cultural - not being able to walk the talk is a bigger let down in SL than elsewhere. Then again Sri Lankan's are not the most expressive of some emotions watch a Sri Lankan movie, and you'll realize only a few accepted emotions are expressed freely. Another issue is mentality most people are brought up in a non tough environment. thus a majority of Sri Lankans are brought up without the much required toughness. We have heard of what Alan Border said to Dean Jones - the legendary "'You weak Victorian.." talk comment spurred Jones to score 210, but I don't think you'll ever hear such a thing in a SL dressing room.

KingOwl
on February 25, 2013, 16:55 GMT

I think this issue of mental toughness is going to be critical for SL in the years to come. It is partly cultural as well. SL needs to pick the right kind of captain to instill that confidence. Both Mahela and Sanga come from middle class families where kids tend to be brought up in very protective environments. They are not brought up to be street smart. That is needed to be successful in sports. With Arjuna, while he was also from a middle class family, his family was a political family, used to the rough and tumble of cut throat politics in SL. Thus, he was a tough cookie from his school boy days. SL cricket needs such people leading. The current policy of going for middle class, Colombo educated, English speaking and sophisticated captains will not work, if the aim is finding ruthless, bloody minded captains who want to win at all costs. Mahela and Sanga used to always TALK about the need to be ruthless. Truly ruthless people don' talk about it, they just ARE.

on February 25, 2013, 15:31 GMT

It really hurts when your team does well throughout the tournament only to be defeated in the final. But Sanga/Mahela are not alone not SL is the only team to suffer such defeats. There is another man whom I really feel for. He is England's Graham Gooch. He played 3 world cups and every time England reached the final only to be the 2nd best team of the tournament.

allapey
on February 25, 2013, 3:05 GMT

Sanga,

You are a great truthfull and sincere soul. I wish you were the President of Sri Lanka and Mahela your deputy. It will be heaven !

KingOwl
on February 24, 2013, 13:48 GMT

It's a very frank view expressed by Sanga. All this is true. But in the end, no coach or psychologist can really transform the feelings players have. They need to do it themselves. Some are inherently better at doing that than others. It comes from many things, but supreme confidence, thinking that you are superior to others is absolutely fundamental. Sanga and Mahela were good captains. But they were not great. They had many skills to manage people and make good decisions. But they did not have the sense of superiority that Arjuna had. Arjuna had that innate leadership skill. He was a born leader of men. With him leading the team, the rest always felt that Arjuna will carry them across the line no matter what. One does not feel that with Mahela nor Sanga. They simply aren't cool headed enough. Why Arjuna was called Captain Cool, among other things, WAS for a reason.

Tweety20
on February 23, 2013, 15:48 GMT

As an SL fan,it really hurts when we lose a final.I can imagine how the team feels if i feel this bad.I think Sanga is right,they also need mental preparation before a final to clear any remainig emotions and play with a clean mindset.

They want to win the game so badly for their nation that they end up making mistakes and losing in the end.Im so glad that our SL fans are not vindictive when our team loses finals and accept them for what they did so far and share in their joys and sadness.

Im sure with much effort the SL team can get over this and pull out a major tournament win.My full Support for our lions all the way.We love u.

on February 23, 2013, 13:25 GMT

dariuscorny-1000% AGREE! Matthews is overrated,just a matter of time before he breaks down completely.we need a player who can take this huge responsibility,not some overrated joker..

Surajdon9
on February 23, 2013, 10:40 GMT

well said Champs..Love you sanga.............

Rocketman1
on February 23, 2013, 10:02 GMT

Agree with Luke Cannon to an extent. Sanga chews up too many deliveries playing himself in and doesn't score much in ODI's. He should probably just stick to Tests until retirement. Mahela hasn't done much with the bat either and surely you can't just be employed to set a field! Fact is, SL are not hungry enough to win. We must go back to the real champions of yesteryear. West Indies of the 70s and 80s: Ruthless in victory. Australia: never wanted to lose. Always hungry to win trophies. SL just need to go out there with that body language and attitude that says "I'm here to win", otherwise the cupboard will be full of second place for a while.

dariuscorny
on February 23, 2013, 9:22 GMT

no disrespect to SL fans,but i seriously think that Mathews is not the best player in SL team,i think Thirimanne is best suited for captaincy who is aggresive .mathews seems to be fragile and gets exhuasted i hv seen several times specially during a chase where the asking rate is above 9-10.SL dont need a captain who gets exhausted at crunch situations,thirimanne is the guy who has the flare to take SL forward

on February 23, 2013, 9:07 GMT

I would say for playing final need to be natural aggression which missing recently in SL

nilb
on February 23, 2013, 8:53 GMT

Many people sitting in the chairs watching the game outside the ground can so their analysis as they please, but it's all up-to the 11 players on the ground on a particular day. If you are saying it's because Sri Lankan seniors lack mental strength.. just ask yourself what you would say if SL lost in the semi final or quarter final? So you don't need much mental strength in the quarter final? You can do your analysis and blame the Mahela, Sanga, Kulasekara, IPL, team selection, pitch, a sqash ball or whatever you want but I think it's just bad luck in one day in one match.

Saim93
on February 23, 2013, 8:42 GMT

Sangakkara is happy with his approach but thats what is his and Sri Lanka's downfall in finals. Even here his comments are completely mixed and unsure. One place he says that hes not scared at all and later he says they're scared the whole time! Plus this play like its any game strategy clearly doesn't work, he should train himslef and the team for a final with a mindset for it.

dailtire
on February 23, 2013, 7:12 GMT

i remember my teacher saying " more than 97 means u have everything to get a 100. just luck didn't favour u"..i follow the same concept here. going in to final means it was just one bad day which kept u away from the world cup..

ham1990
on February 23, 2013, 6:50 GMT

It's simple, Sri Lanka do not currently have a leadership group that have the guts to take control of a final. As much as Mahela and Sanga are brilliant players, there doesn't really seem to be an air of superiority about them in those situations. Take Ranatunga as an example, before the 96 WC final he said Warnie was a mediocre bowler who would be hammered in the final. Thanks to Ranatunga and co. they came out and backed up those words.

MS Dhoni in the 2011 WC final elevated himself up the order, when he could have let a couple of people go in ahead of him (as suggested by the batting line-up). That was a gutsy move as a captain, but it signalled to Sri Lanka that he was ready to take control of that run chase.

Until Sri Lanka have a couple of guys who are ready to stand up and exude that kind of confidence in a final, they won't win one. It's as simple as that.

ARad
on February 23, 2013, 6:31 GMT

I'd imagine that SL players practice visualization exercises but I wonder if, in addition to imagining themselves in positive situations which is a must, at least the senior players in leadership positions visualize what to do in extremely taxing circumstances. For example, what if you are at the receiving end of something worse than the Samuels blitz from the T20 WC finals? Such exercises could help those in leadership positions remain calm to concentrate on the tactics and prevent the SL team from losing the aggression or getting (visually) rattled when a Gilchrist, Dhoni or Samuels go berserk. After all, the only choice is to perform better on the next ball and senior players must always exhibit the 'been there, done that' attitude that will then become contagious. Such visualizations may help a young captain like Mathews toughen up and behave like a much more experienced player too. Best wishes to Sanga to regain fitness and continue his great career in all forms of the game!

on February 23, 2013, 4:56 GMT

@lukecannon dude you must be living in a parallel universe..

priceless1
on February 23, 2013, 4:48 GMT

one reason why SL lost all of those final is both Sanga and Mahela panicked when little bit of pressure was on , that's was clearly visible in the last T20 final which was played in Colombo

lukecannon
on February 23, 2013, 4:08 GMT

Well Kumar there's an easy solution. Why don't you drop yourself from limited overs and just play Test. SL can't even chase a mediocre total when Sangakkara gets to bat. He wastes so many deliveries which so easily can be converted to singles. When he gets out the youngsters perish under scoreboard pressure. He should have never played limited overs cricket and he should have never picked test batsman like Samaraweera for 2011 WC when World champ Sanath was in form and was available for selection. If it wasn't for Sanath we wouldnt have won 2008 asia cup as well. Sanga is an immoral player who kills raw talent.

Prabhash1985
on February 23, 2013, 3:56 GMT

This is the best article/conversation I ever read. And I totally agree with Sanga, and I should say that this line of thought is really important to keep on building a good cricket team. It's all about moving forward, by correcting some small things. I have a little suggestion for you and SL cricket board if you re-read this article. There are virtual environments where you can project a computer-game into the cave-like environment. So, you can simulate the game. So, my suggestion is, start a computer science project (colombo university can help you in virtual reality) such that you simulate the game in the practice nets with projectors outside the net, hawk eye like tracking supports to track the ball, so and so forth. Then, the players can be given challenges such as "score 19 runes in just 6 balls with 1 wicket remaining." I actually proposed this to my supervisor during uni time, but we I moved to a foreign uni for higher studies.

PadMarley
on February 23, 2013, 3:22 GMT

A mindset of a champion matters!! Captains have not been given enough signals that they are confident. At times you need to be tough and express you are tough. In T20 semi-finals at the presentation ceremony Chris Gayle said "Its West Indies all the way, sorry Sri Lanka". Sri Lanka needs this kind of a mindset. Think about what was Mahela saying before finals.. "Its a great feeling to be in 4 finals"... you are not giving a strong message to anyone that you really want it and you will do it!! Same with Lee Chong Way [no 1 badminton player for sometime]; during Olympics, when he won the semi finals he mentioned "I'm relieved that I have secured the silver medal"; what kind of a mindset is that? There is no "Champion mindset there", and deservedly he was Silver medalist both Beijing and London. This is why I respect 1996 Sri Lanka Team and Leadership. They were Champions from the moment the tournament Started!!! No disrespect to legendary players like Sanga and Mahela though..

Prabhash1985
on February 23, 2013, 3:56 GMT

This is the best article/conversation I ever read. And I totally agree with Sanga, and I should say that this line of thought is really important to keep on building a good cricket team. It's all about moving forward, by correcting some small things. I have a little suggestion for you and SL cricket board if you re-read this article. There are virtual environments where you can project a computer-game into the cave-like environment. So, you can simulate the game. So, my suggestion is, start a computer science project (colombo university can help you in virtual reality) such that you simulate the game in the practice nets with projectors outside the net, hawk eye like tracking supports to track the ball, so and so forth. Then, the players can be given challenges such as "score 19 runes in just 6 balls with 1 wicket remaining." I actually proposed this to my supervisor during uni time, but we I moved to a foreign uni for higher studies.

lukecannon
on February 23, 2013, 4:08 GMT

Well Kumar there's an easy solution. Why don't you drop yourself from limited overs and just play Test. SL can't even chase a mediocre total when Sangakkara gets to bat. He wastes so many deliveries which so easily can be converted to singles. When he gets out the youngsters perish under scoreboard pressure. He should have never played limited overs cricket and he should have never picked test batsman like Samaraweera for 2011 WC when World champ Sanath was in form and was available for selection. If it wasn't for Sanath we wouldnt have won 2008 asia cup as well. Sanga is an immoral player who kills raw talent.

priceless1
on February 23, 2013, 4:48 GMT

one reason why SL lost all of those final is both Sanga and Mahela panicked when little bit of pressure was on , that's was clearly visible in the last T20 final which was played in Colombo

on February 23, 2013, 4:56 GMT

@lukecannon dude you must be living in a parallel universe..

ARad
on February 23, 2013, 6:31 GMT

I'd imagine that SL players practice visualization exercises but I wonder if, in addition to imagining themselves in positive situations which is a must, at least the senior players in leadership positions visualize what to do in extremely taxing circumstances. For example, what if you are at the receiving end of something worse than the Samuels blitz from the T20 WC finals? Such exercises could help those in leadership positions remain calm to concentrate on the tactics and prevent the SL team from losing the aggression or getting (visually) rattled when a Gilchrist, Dhoni or Samuels go berserk. After all, the only choice is to perform better on the next ball and senior players must always exhibit the 'been there, done that' attitude that will then become contagious. Such visualizations may help a young captain like Mathews toughen up and behave like a much more experienced player too. Best wishes to Sanga to regain fitness and continue his great career in all forms of the game!

ham1990
on February 23, 2013, 6:50 GMT

It's simple, Sri Lanka do not currently have a leadership group that have the guts to take control of a final. As much as Mahela and Sanga are brilliant players, there doesn't really seem to be an air of superiority about them in those situations. Take Ranatunga as an example, before the 96 WC final he said Warnie was a mediocre bowler who would be hammered in the final. Thanks to Ranatunga and co. they came out and backed up those words.

MS Dhoni in the 2011 WC final elevated himself up the order, when he could have let a couple of people go in ahead of him (as suggested by the batting line-up). That was a gutsy move as a captain, but it signalled to Sri Lanka that he was ready to take control of that run chase.

Until Sri Lanka have a couple of guys who are ready to stand up and exude that kind of confidence in a final, they won't win one. It's as simple as that.

dailtire
on February 23, 2013, 7:12 GMT

i remember my teacher saying " more than 97 means u have everything to get a 100. just luck didn't favour u"..i follow the same concept here. going in to final means it was just one bad day which kept u away from the world cup..

Saim93
on February 23, 2013, 8:42 GMT

Sangakkara is happy with his approach but thats what is his and Sri Lanka's downfall in finals. Even here his comments are completely mixed and unsure. One place he says that hes not scared at all and later he says they're scared the whole time! Plus this play like its any game strategy clearly doesn't work, he should train himslef and the team for a final with a mindset for it.

nilb
on February 23, 2013, 8:53 GMT

Many people sitting in the chairs watching the game outside the ground can so their analysis as they please, but it's all up-to the 11 players on the ground on a particular day. If you are saying it's because Sri Lankan seniors lack mental strength.. just ask yourself what you would say if SL lost in the semi final or quarter final? So you don't need much mental strength in the quarter final? You can do your analysis and blame the Mahela, Sanga, Kulasekara, IPL, team selection, pitch, a sqash ball or whatever you want but I think it's just bad luck in one day in one match.

on February 23, 2013, 9:07 GMT

I would say for playing final need to be natural aggression which missing recently in SL